Oklahoma
OKC uses Ward 4 as a dumping ground. Here’s a 180° mitigation concept for the new Oklahoma County jail
As a resident of Ward 4 in Oklahoma City and as a professional land planner, I am offering a site-planning solution that can be part of mitigating the impact of the proposed detention center (jail) on Del City, on neighborhoods in Oklahoma City, and on Ward 4 in general. The SP-588 will be heard by the city council on May 21.
Gist: My proposed “180° Mitigation Treatment” first and foremost controls where detainees can be released by having a key part of the detention center campus turned 180°, having a buffer area along Grand Boulevard, and Oklahoma City closing/fencing SE 22 Street near the SP-588 southern jail entrance.
I have prepared and attached an unpolished handmade concept graphic of the “180° Mitigation Treatment” that modifies exactly what was shown at the Oklahoma City Planning Commission.
The proposed SP-588 jail location and design are just the latest example of the city of Oklahoma City’s pattern and practice of dumping unwanted and undesirable land uses into the edge area of Ward 4, where I have resided over 40 years. Some examples are an asphalt batch plant, car crushing plant, the huge Bryant landfill and more. SP-588 also unacceptably left the western 1/3 of the site vacant for future jail large-scale expansion. There appears to be no legal way to guarantee that detainees would be transported downtown for release, so an urban planning design solution can be the answer.
The proposed design mitigation solution is the “180° Mitigation Treatment” I developed and first transmitted in April to elected officials with Oklahoma City, Del City and the county commissioners.
Opinion: Mid-Del School Board member: There aren’t resources to support the jail at the proposed site.
Del Cityans have a valid set of realistic security, property value and other concerns about the county jail/detention facility being a block from Del City. My preference would be to have the new jail somehow be in the downtown OKC area or part downtown, part outside. However it seems destined to be entirely located at Grand Boulevard.
The rotating of the public parking area, public access and offices/staff-areas by 180° to the west of the jail cell “pods” means the east area is proposed to be replaced by more than a 200-foot-deep green buffer space and an attractively designed concrete wall like those along some highways, both visible along Grand Boulevard. This site plan solution would hide the planned 12-foot-tall Grand Boulevard side’s ugly chain link fence (topped by looping razor wire) behind a wall.
That way, when looked at from the east, the buffer green space and wall keep the jail out of sight, out of mind to youth of all ages. This “180° plan” makes it to where any person released from the jail would have to walk over a half mile to Eastern Avenue, then figure out how to walk over a mile to enter Del City or any other Oklahoma City neighborhood. It is highly unlikely the released detainees would want to walk so far.
This 180° plan recommends various cooperative negotiated agreements to help other fund mitigation measures for the benefit of the impacted city of Del City to be part of the solution for all parties.
More: Del City residents fear a loss of their way of life if a jail is built nearby
Finally, I have been acquainted with and affected by this site for over 50 years now, as I grew up just inside Del City, hiked the site as a boy when it was still an old growth dense woodland, watched as that was chopped down and replaced with a massive public housing project (Hamilton Courts), and went to junior high with kids from there. All that is part of why I became an urban planner, so I want to help.
Larry Hopper is a certified planner and former principal planner and planning manager for the city of Oklahoma City Public Transportation and Parking Department.
Oklahoma
Firefighters respond to commercial fire in Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to a commercial fire near the area of NW 10th and N Western Avenue.
OKCFD were at the scene of a commercial fire around 7 p.m. Saturday night, when they arrived there was heavy smoke visible from multiple floors of a boarded up building.
One adult female was found in the building and taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
At this time no cause has been reported.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma
Navy Coach Brian Newberry Talks Oklahoma Prep, Going for 10 Wins
NORMAN — Bowl season is a bit unconventional for Navy.
The Midshipmen annually play against Army six days after the bowl schedule is released. That was the case this year, as Navy beat the Black Knights 31-13 on Dec. 14.
Beating Army is always a highlight for the Midshipmen. But the drawback for them is that they have less time than their bowl opponent to prepare for the game.
In this case, that’s Oklahoma. The Sooners will enter the game with more than two weeks of preparation for Navy’s triple-option offense.
“It’s just a little different,” Navy coach Brian Newberry told reporters earlier this week. “They’ve known they’re going to play us for a little time now.”
Navy Coach, Oklahoma Native Brian Newberry Grew Up On OU Football
Navy does, however, enter the Armed Forces Bowl with momentum.
The Midshipmen (9-3) eased past Army last week in Landover, MD. They outgained the Black Knights 384-179 and forced Army quarterback Bryson Daily to throw three interceptions.
Navy’s rivalry win was its third in the last four games after the Midshipmen went on a two-game skid in the middle of the season. Newberry cited his team’s physicality in recent games, particularly in the Midshipmen’s drubbing of Army.
“I was so impressed with how our kids handled the moment,” Newberry said. “Army’s a really, really good football team. I thought we physically dominated the game in the way that we blocked, beat blocks, the way we tackled. I thought we outplayed them in all three phases, so I’m really, really proud of that.”
A stark difference between the teams is the number of players that have entered the transfer portal.
The Sooners have seen 25 players from their 2024 team enter the portal. The Midshipmen have suffered only one departure in the winter portal window with defensive back Lorenzo Vitti.
On one hand, that makes Oklahoma preparation tough for Navy.
“It’s interesting,” Newberry said. “We’re going through their two-deep and trying to figure out who’s going to play and who isn’t. It’s a little bit of a challenge in that regard. And it could certainly change with a different quarterback.”
But largely, the Midshipmen’s lack of transfers gives Newberry confidence that his team will be bought in for one more game in 2024.
“The portal can affect us, players can jump in the portal — we’re not getting that,” Newberry said. “It’s challenging to build a culture anywhere in college football right now, one that’s built on a certain level of trust. They know each other really, really well. They’ve fought through adversity. They stay the course, they pay the price and they have an opportunity.”
Navy will also play for more than just another win; the Midshipmen are looking to make history.
Navy has reached the 10-win mark just four times in program history. The Midshipmen did so three times under former coach Ken Niumatalolo from 2009-2019.
Having a shot at history while playing Oklahoma — the state that Newberry hails from — excites the coach.
“It’s the last time that this team gets to play together,” Newberry said. “They want to go out the right way against a storied program like Oklahoma. It’s a great reward to play in a bowl game, but it’s a game we want to win.”
The Midshipmen and Sooners will play in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth at 11 a.m. on Dec. 27.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma LB Kip Lewis Sees Armed Forces Bowl as Growth Opportunity
As Danny Stutsman departs from Oklahoma, Kip Lewis seems to be the next man up.
A redshirt sophomore linebacker in 2024, Lewis was one of the Sooners’ better defenders. In addition to his 28 solo tackles, Lewis intercepted two passes, running both of them back for touchdowns.
Lewis hopes to be the leader that Stutsman was over his four years at OU. But his goal isn’t to be a Stutsman clone.
“I feel like I’m my own player and my own leader in how I do things,” Lewis said. “Danny’s a great player, great leader. Taught me everything I need to know. I think I’m just my own person. I don’t think I need to step into his role and be the Danny. There’s only one.”
Lewis played and started in all 12 of the Sooners’ games in the 2024 season. It was his second season as a regular on OU’s defense after playing in just two games as a true freshman.
In Oklahoma’s first season as an SEC squad, Lewis and his defensive counterparts saw plenty of offensive stars. Between Garrett Nussmeier at LSU and Quinn Ewers at Texas, there was never really a dull moment for the Sooners during conference play.
Lewis will see a different type of challenge at the Armed Forces Bowl against Navy.
WATCH: Navy HC Brian Newberry Ahead of Armed Forces Bowl vs. Oklahoma
The Midshipmen — like the other service academies — run a triple-option offense. While Navy, Army and Air Force struggle to get the highly-touted recruits that other programs draw, the unconventional offense sets them apart.
Thankfully for Lewis, this style of offense isn’t new.
“I’m a little used to it. So it’s been a minute since I played it, but it brought me back to my roots playing the Wing-T. There’s a team called Pleasant Grove out there in Texas, so they used to give me a run for my money back in the day.”
Navy finished the regular season 9-3. The Midshipmen started the season 6-0 before losing three times in a four-game span.
They ended the season well, though, beating both East Carolina and Army by double digits to end the regular season.
Lewis and multiple of his teammates tuned in as the Midshipmen beat Army in the annual rivalry game.
“They showed a lot of fight, a lot of grit,” Lewis said. “I think that’s an important key into playing football.”
Lewis will play only one more game as an underclassman. Then, he’ll step into the role of other defensive leaders the Sooners have seen recently, whether that’s Stutsman, Billy Bowman Jr., Woodi Washington or others.
Games like the Armed Forces Bowl will help him get there.
“Just always having to bring my best effort every day,” Lewis said. “Just bringing everything I’ve got. Just every day, I bring my value into whatever that is, whatever I’ve gotta do for my team. I think it’ll be a big role.”
The Sooners will battle the Midshipmen on Dec. 27 in Fort Worth. The game is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
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